REMAINING ROADS TO RIO 2016

Brendan irvine, Zaur Antia and David Oliver Joyce

Brendan Irvine, Zaur Antia and David Oliver Joyce

Irish boxing will now target the women’s flyweight, lightweight and middleweight and men’s light-welter, middleweight, heavyweight and super-heavyweight divisions in the three remaining qualifiers for Rio 2016.

The first of these begin in Astana, Kazakhstan on the 19th of next month at the AIBA World Women’s Elite Championships.Twelve Rio berths are available,four in each of the three Olympic weights – flyweight, lightweight and middleweight – for women. A semi-final finish will suffice.

The men’s light-flyweight, flyweight, bantamweight, lightweight, welterweight and light-heavyweight classes are of academic interest to Irish boxing from this point on as Paddy Barnes, Brendan Irvine, Michael Conlan, David Oliver Joyce, Steven Donnelly and Joe Ward have qualified in these weights.

The men’s qualifiers in Baku, Azerbaijan in June needs to be clarified in regards to the weights in which the top five qualify. Two of those weights – light-welter and middle – are of specific interest to Ireland.

The semi-finalists in the weights concerned qualify by virtue of reaching the last four. But will be the final place go to the quarter finalists that lost to the eventual gold medallist or will the four losing quarter finalists box-off in a semi-final and final format for the remaiming spot?

There’s no ambiguity about the heavyweight and super-heavyweight classes in the Azeri capital. The big men have absolutely no room for error and must win gold as there is only one place available in both categories.

The final qualifier, last chance saloon, is a World Series of Boxing versus AIBA Pro Boxing tournament in either late June or early July at a host city to be confirmed. Bouts will be over three rounds.

Meantime, Brazil have taken the six host places they are entitled to in the men’s light-fly, fly, bantam, light-welter and light-heavy and women’s lightweight classes.

Likewise, 278 boxers will be through to the 31st Olympiad following the completion of the remaining qualifiers.

The remaining eight places – 5 for men and 3 for women – will be distributed via the Tripartite Commission. These are invitation places.

The maximum amount of boxers that can represent a nation at the Olympics is 13 – 10 men and 3 women.

250 men and 36 women compete at each Games.

Rio2016QualificationSystem-Boxing

 

rio
World Women’s Elite Championships May 19/17 Astana, Kazakhstan

Total Olympic Places: 12

51kg (Flyweight) 4
60kg (Lightweight) 4
75kg (Middleweight 4

World Tournament (for men) June 14/28 Baku, Azerbaijan

Total Olympic Places: 39

Light-fly: 2
Fly: 5
Bantam: 5
Lightweight: 5
Light-welter: 5
Welter: 5
Middle: 5
Light-heavy: 5
Heavy: 1
Super-heavy: 1

World Series of Boxing v AIBA Pro Boxing (dates and host city to be decided for June or July)

Total Olympic places: 26

Light-fly: 3
Fly: 3
Bantam: 3
Lightweight: 3
Light-welter: 3
Welter: 3
Middle: 3
Light-heavy: 3
Heavy: 1
Super-heavy: 1

Irish boxers qualified

Women

51kg (Flyweight) –
60kg (Lightweight –
75kg (Middleweight) –

Men

49kg (Light-flyweight) – Paddy Barnes (Holy Family)
52kg (Flyweight) – Brendan Irvine (St Paul’s)
56kg (Bantamweight) – Michael Conlan (Clonard)
60kg (Lightweight) – David Oliver Joyce (St Michael’s Athy & AIBA Pro Boxing)
64kg (Light-welterweight) –
69kg (Welterweight) – Steven Donnelly (All Saints)
75kg (Middleweight) –
81kg (Light-heavyweight) – Joe Ward (Moate & AIBA Pro Boxing)
91kg (Heavyweight) –
91+kg (Super-heavyweight) –